The Day of the Arctic-2019 28 February, the National Library of the Komi Republic will traditionally become a platform for the discussion of challenges facing the northern territories.
This year the guest of the library and the headliner of the event is Alexandr Piliasov, PhD in geography, professor of Moscow State University, expert on northern studies. A. Piliasov is the director of the Centre for the North and Arctic Economy, chairman of the Russian section of the European Regional Studies Association, general manager of the Institute of Regional Consulting, chairman of the cosio-economic section of the Expert Council for Arctic and Antarctic at the Russian Federal Assembly Council. He is the author of about two hundred research articles, development strategies and programmes for northern regions and municipalities. Currently, Professor Piliasov is designing a concept of development for the Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
On the Day of the Arctic in the library, Professor Piliasov will deliver a talk on most topical issues related to the economic development of the Arctic regions. The audience will learn if entrepreneurship activities are compatible with the Northern conditions, if labour shortage is a problem for the industrial North, which countries can boast having best practices in exploration and development of northern territories. His presentation begins at 11:00.
At 13.00, photo artist Madezhda Kozhevnikova will open an exhibition of her recent works. The author will tell about an expedition along the Urals, share the stories behind her photographs and recite her poems dedicated to northern nature and people.
Another significant event on this day is a presentation of The Encyclopedia of the Barents Region. The two-volume edition was created by an international team of researchers. Project leader and chief editor of the encyclopedia Mats-Olov Olsson (Umeå University, Sweden) will join the presentation in a video conference to tell about the idea and implementation of this scientific partnership venture. The part contributed by the team from Komi will be presented by two professors from the Syktyvkar State University - director of the History and Law Institute Liubov Maksimova and archaeologist and historian Viktor Semionov. Tatiana Tiupenko, member of the Public Council at the Komi Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, will provide her comments as a specially invited external expert and a veteran of Barents cooperation. The presentation will start at 14:00.
The students of Syktyvkar colleges are invited to join a debate, Arctic as a an Environmentally Vulnerable Area, and take part in an online quiz based on the materials collected by Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library.
The Day of the Arctic will close with a meeting with participants of the motor expedition, From the Baltics to the Arctic. In winter 2018, journalists of the Business News Komi Agency headed by chief editor Aleksey Lazarev jointly with the team of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper drove across Saint-Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, Vologda, Arkhangelsk, Komi Republic, and Nenets Autonomous Okrug, exploring the tourist potential of the regions, stopping at natural attractions, meeting interesting people and visiting local museums. The meeting with the members of the expedition is at 17.30.
In addition to the main events on the programme, the visitors will enjoy book exhibitions dedicated to Arctic studies and ethnography, culture and folklore of northern peoples. | 
